Grinding apparatus



Sept. 2l, 1943.' E. HUFF GRINDING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 27, 1942 4 LWN ATTORNEY).

sept.21,1943. E. HUFF I 2,329,905

GRINDING APPARATUS Filed March 27, 1942 v 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Sept. 21, 1943 ,c lanaemia 'rENT` oFF-ICE,

v GRINDING APrAaATUs )Ernest Hun, Elm Grove, Wis.,` lassigner to Wehr Steel Company, West Allis, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin apprenant/.ramirez 1942, serial No. 436,439 i (o1. 5r-34) 12 claims.

Thepresent invention relates Yin general to improvements in .the art of forming teeth in machine elements, and relates' more particularly to improvements in the construction ,andioperation of. apparatus for grinding or dressing the teeth of `sprocket wheels or thelike. .c v

An object of this `invention is to provideimproved apparatus for quickly `and eiectively forming a succession of similar teeth in a machine element such as a sprocket, with vthe aid of an abrasive wheel and without Loverheating the machine'elementbeingiinished..

Inmy prior Patent No. 2,158,423, granted May 16,1939,- I have shown and described an improved method of and apparatus for grindingksuceessive recessesV l between the peripheral Vteeth of a sprocket,rby mounting therough sprocket or sprocket blank upon a movable carriage and by advancing the carriage a dem'te distance toward thefcurved periphery of a rotatingy grindingwheel duringthe formation of each recess, `while simultaneously reciprocating the carriage yso as to prevent overheating and possible burning ofthe sprocket. In this prior device, the sprocket support or carriage was'provided withA indexing means for effecting accurate rotary adjustment and xed' positioning ofy the sprocket thereon in successive positions of adjustment, and ytheecar-4 riage reciprocation or motion was produced pneumatieally and byv means of a spring thus providing a cushioning effect. While this Iprior method of and apparatus for dressing sprockets is entirely satisfactory in cases where the teeth are not of great width, in the case oirelatively wide teeth the curvature of the grinding'wheel periphery produces anobjectionable medial concavity at the bottom of each recess between adja-r cent teethgbecause of the fact that the sprocket is fed toward the grinding wheel in a radial plane of the latter. f

It is therefore a more specific object of my present invention to provide improved means for producing the successive recesses between adjacent teeth of sprockets or the like with straight line generatrices and without such objectionable concavities, regardless of the width of the teeth and intervening recesses.

Anotherrspecic object of the present invention is to provide'simple, compact and durable apparatus for quickly grinding the recesses between successive teeth of a row, in lan accurate and expeditious manner and. without danger of scorching or burning the machine element on which the. teeth are formed;

Still another specic object of this invention is to provide an improved grinding assemblage especially adaptedV to automatically dress or finish the teeth of 'castHsprockets-.orthe'fllike; subject to manualcontrol, and withthe aid of pneumatic pressurefor urging the gi'findingele# effectively grinding successive recesseslor indentations inY a piece'v of work, iny'ac'curat'ely spaced relation and at minimum cost. v 1

`An additional specific object of my invention is to provide an improved grinding machine'for producing straight grooves in vdiverse machine elements, and whichcan be'manipulated by a novice@ y f lThese and other A'objects and advantages of the invention will `be apparent from the follow# ing detailed description. .l x U; 5'

A clear conception of the various features coni stituting this improvement, andof the mode of constructing and of operating-a grinding machine built in accordance with the invention, may be had by referring to the drawings `ac'corrlpanyir'ig and forming a part of this specification wherein like `reference characters designate the same or similarV parts inthev'ariousviews. l

Fig. l'is a topr View of -an"improved sprocket grinding machine, with altypical sprocketin position upon the support or carrier; v

Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of 'the grindingfmachine of Fig. l, showing thegrinding wheel in central horizontal position; I l V Fig. 3 lis a front 'end View of the grinding Wheel support of the-improved grinding machine;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentarysidevview showing vthe grinding wheel at its uppermost vlimit of vertical reciproeation; and v zY v nl'igp5 is a similar side View showing the grinding wheel at its lowermost limit'oi verticalr re# ciprocation. i Y

While the invention has been illustrated and described herein as being especiallyadapted vfor use in grinding the recesses between the peripheral teeth of cast steel sprockets, it is rnot mydesire or intent to thereby lunnecessarily restrict the scope or utility of the improvement; andthe term sprocket as employed herein'isintended to include any machine element whether circular or otherwise shaped, and beingprovided with a series -of projections separated by inter-A vening indentations.

Referring to the drawings, vthe Y improved sprocket grinding machine showntherein,` comprises in general a 'stationary sprocketfsupport or carrier 1 having thereon a central upright fixed spindle 8 and indexing mechanism 9, both co-operable with a sprocket ID having peripheral teeth II and recesses I2 between the successive teeth; an abrasive tool or grinding wheel I3 rotatably journalled in the front end of an elongated wheel support I4, and being bodily movable by the support I4 toward and away from the periphery of a sprocket I3 resting upon the carrier 1; a compressed air operable servo-motor I5 having a cylinder I6 and a piston I1 reciprocable therein, for resiliently urging the wheel support I4 and the wheel toward and away from the sprocket carrier 1; front and rear lever arms I8, I9 respectively, for movably suspending the wheel support I4; a crank shaft 20 having eccentrics or cranks 2I pivotally supporting the front lever arms I8 and being movable to im. part reciprocating motion to the forward end of the wheel support I4; a guiding element or roller` 22 secured to the forward 4portionof the wheel support I4 and being co-operable with an upright rectilinear guide member 23 attached to the sprocket carrier 1, to produce rectilinear reciprocation of the grinding wheel I3` when the cranks 2l are in action; and mechanism for rotating the grinding wheel` I3 and for revolving the crank shaft-29.

The sprocket supporting carrier 1 should be rigidly mounted upon a suitable foundation, and

the succesive toothed blanks or sprockets Il) which are ordinarily formed of cast metal, should have their central hubs bored to snugly fit the centering spindle 8. The indexing mechanism 9 may be of the same type as shown and described in my prior Patent No. 2,158,423, and is adapted to rmly retain each sprocket I6 in successive positions of adjustment with respect to the cen-V tral axis of the spindle 8, so that the successive final teeth II of each sprocket Iii will be spaced equally about the sprocket periphery. The upright guide member 23 which is secured to the sprocket carrier 1, has av V-shaped ridge disposed parallel to the axis of the spindle 8 and along which the guiding roller 22 is adapted to ride; and the sprockets I il are flxedly secured` to the spindle 8 and carrier 1 during each, grinding operation but may be frech7 rotated about or removed vertically from thisspindle when the indexing mechanism 9 is released.

The periphery of the grinding wheel I3 should be dressed to produce the desired shapeV of recesses I2 between the successive teeth Il, and this wheel I3 is detachably secured to theoverhanging end of a transverse shaft 24 which is provided with a driven sheave 25 and is journalled for rotation in bearings 25 carried bythe elongated wheel support I4. The grinding wheel support I4 extends approximately horizontally toward the sprocket carrier 1, and comprises a front member 21 on which the bearings 26 are mounted, a rear member 23 having a motor platform 2 9 formed integral therewith, and a pair of parallel tubular members 3Q rigidly interconnecting the front and rear members 21, 28. An electric motor 3l for driving the grinding wheel I3 may b e adjustably mounted upon the plat--` form 29 and this motor 3I has a driving sheave 32 which is drivingly connected with the driven sheave 2 5 on the shaft` 24, by means of several endless V-belts 33 the tension of which can be varied by adjusting the motor 3l along its sup-V porting platform.

The resilient means or pneumatic servo-motor I5 which is adapted ,to constantly urge the rigid support I4 and the grinding Wheel I3 toward the periphery of a sprocket I0 resting upon the carrier 1 during normal operation of the grinding machine, is disposed beneath the motor supporting platform 29 and may be provided with a control valve 34 and connections for delivering air under pressure to the cylinder I6 on opposite sides of the pstOn I1 as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2. The control valve 34 communicates with an air supply line 35 and with an exhaust line 36, and the servo-motor cylinder I6 which is pivotally mounted to swing about a pivot pin 3l, is provided with front and rear flexible connections 38, 39 respectively also communicating with the valve 34. The outer end of the rod of the servo-motor piston I1 is pivotally attached to the lower end of a lever 40 by means of a pin 4I, and the upper end of this lever 40 is connected with the rear member 28 of the support I4 by means of two links 42, while the medial portion of the Ylever 40 is swingably suspended from a fixed bracket 43 by a pivot pin 44. The lever 4B .and links 42 are disposed between the tubular support members 30 in approximately the same vertical plane as the grinding wheel I3, and the links 42 are attached to the lever 4G and support member 28 by means of pivot pins 45. 46 respectively.

The lower ends of the rear lever arms -I9 are swingable upon pins 4 1 flxedly mounted in bearings 48, and the upper ends of these arms I9,are pivotally attached to the rear member 28 of the grinding wheel `support I4 by means of a transverse pin 49. The crank shaft` 20 which, is provided with the cranks ZI upon which the lQWer ends of the front lever arms I8 are pivotally suspended, is rotatably supported in xed bearings 55, and is adapted to be constantly rotated during normal operation of the grinding machine by means of an electric motor not shown, coacting with this shaft 26 through an ordinary speed reducer, counter shaft 2B', and chain drive ZI'. The upper extremities of` the front arms la are pivotally attached to the front member 21 of the grinding wheel support I4 by means of another transverse pin 5I,` and the arms Ia, I9 are of rigid construction and of approximately the same length.

The guiding roller 2 2 which coacts with the fixed upright guide member 2.3 and (zo-operates with the cranks 2I to, produce rectilinear reciprocation of the grindingwheel I3, is grooved to snugly engage the ridge of the member 23 and is journalled for rotationupon a slide element 52. This slide element 52 is adiustably mQlllted upon the front member 21 of the Wheel support I4 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and s adjustable longitudinally of the supportll to vary the, depth of grinding of the sprocket recesses I2, by means of an adjusting screw 53. The front portion of the screw 53 is rotatably journalled ill. `the 1.9- ment 52 and is provided withan adjusting ring 54, and the rear end of the screw 53 has. screw thread coaction with the member 21, so that by rotating the ring 54 the roller 22 may be moved bodily either forwardly or rearwardly. A clamp? ing screw 55 may also be provided' for the purpose of positively retaining the guiding roller- 22 in adjusted position. The rotary grinding wheel I3 should preferably be plovided'with asuitable guard 55, as shown, and the entire assemblage should be sturdily constructed.

During normal operation of the improved grinding machine, the successive sprockets I9 which are to be ground, may be readily applied to or removed from the upright spindle S of the carrier 'l with the aid of an Overhead crane, and each sprocket ii! maybe conveniently adjusted about the spindle Band locked in adjusted positions by utilizing the indexing mechanism 9.` The periphery of thev grinding .wheel I3 shouldV be 'dressed to-produce sprocket recesses I2 o the desired shape, and the "adjusting screw 53 should be manipulated to preventthe wheel I3 from `traveling too far toward the axis of thespindle t and toproduce recesses I2 of proper depth.

LAfter a sprocketi .has beenv properly posi-l tioned upon7 the carrier 1, the controlvalve `34 of the servo-:motor I may be positioned as shown in Fig.'2, whereupon compressed air will be addirection as viewed in Fig. 2, and will thereby resiliently` urge the wheel support I4 and the grindingiwheel I3 toward the periphery ofthe sprocket ill, The grinding Wheel I3 will then become effective to form one of the recesses I2,

and during ,the time that the grinding wheel is being re'siliently urged toward the sprocket IE), the revolving. cranks 2| will constantly swing the support i4 about the rear pin 49 and will thus simultaneously reciprocatethe grinding wheel I3 in an approximately vertical direction.

As .the recess i2 which is being formed approaches completion, the guide wheel 22 will engage the xed rectilinear guide 23, and the wheel I3 will thus be definitely conned to rectilinear reciprocation across the face ofthe sprocket I0. This rectilinear reciprocation of the wheel I3 produces a recess I2 having straight line generatrices, and when the grinding operation of one recess i2 has been completed, the valve 34 may be quickly reversed so as to exhaust the air under pressure from the front displacement chamber of the servo-motor I5 and to admit air under pressure to the rear displacement chamber. This reversal of the valve 3d causes the wheel I3 and the wheel support It to quickly move away from the sprocket carrier l, thereby permitting-safe subsequent adjustment of the sprocket In preparatory to formation of the neXt recess I2. The operations can thus be repeated until all of the grooves I2 have been properly ground in the sprocket periphery, whereupon the finished sprocket I0 may be replaced by another.

From the foregoing detailed description it will be apparent that the improved grinding machine is extremely simple, compact and durable in construction, and functions to automatically accurately grind the successive recesses I2 in the sprockets I0 in a most eiective manner` The compressed air which normally urges the wheel I3 toward the sprocket periphery, serves as a cushion which will permit the Wheel to ride over irregularities on the sprocket and to gradually eliminate these irregularities, without danger of scorching or burning the metal of the sprockets. The guide 23 and the roller 22 coacting therewith insure straight or rectilinear grinding of the recesses I2 regardless of the width of the sprocket face, and from Figs. 4 and 5 it will be apparent that the travel of the wheel I3 is considerable and that the reciprocation thereof carries the "grinding wheel wen -beyondftherop andbottom. of the sprocket.i If sodesired; several'sprocket's I0 maybe simultaneously' ground,` by merely providing a supporting spindle 8 -of proper length, y

and thedepth "of the recesses llmaylbereadily varied by' merely releasing the clamping screw 55 and by adjusting the ring nut 54; The tension of the belt 33. may alsobe readily varied by adjust; ingthe motorr3l upon the platformlZil, and'driving of the grinding wheel.v i3 vis simplined by mounting the driving motor 3| .directly upon the same support i4 which carries the grinding wheel. The improvedassemblage is readilyV operable by a novice to produce accurate results, and the invention has proven highly practical and successfulin actual commercial use. i v

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit this invention to the exact details of constructionor to the precise mode of operation, herein'shown and described, for various modiiicationsfvvithin` the scope of the appended claims may occur to personsskilled inthe art.M

I claim: I v 1- 1. In combination, a sprocket-carrier having a sprocket receiving spindle,"a grinding'wheel support movable toward and away from the periphery of a sprocket mounted upon said spindle, Ya

rotary grinding wheel journalled on said support, front and rear lever bracketshaving their swinging ends pivotallyv attached to said' support, meansI orfsimultaneously swinging said brackets i to move said supporty and said Wheel toward the sprocket periphery, and means'or'additionallyv moving one of saidbra'cketsto .reciprocate said wheel. Y Y

2. Inl-combination, a lsprocket carrier having a sprocket receiving spindle, a grinding wheel supportmovable toward and away from the periphery of a sprocketmounted upon said spindle, a rotary grinding wheel journalled on said support, front and-rear lever'brackets having their swinging ends pivotally attached to said support, means for simultaneously swinging said brackets to` resiliently Aurge said grinding wheel against the sprocket periphery,`a'nd means for additionally reciprocating one of `said brackets to move said wheelback and forth across thesprocket periphery. u

3. In combination, a carrier having a xed sprocket receiving spindle; a grindingr wheel support movable toward the periphery of a sprocket mounted upon said'spindle, arotary grinding Wheel journalled upon said support, front and rear lever brackets having their swinging ends pivotally attached to said support, a pneumatically operated servo-motorv for simultaneously swinging said brackets in the same direction tok urge said grinding Wheel against the sprocket periphery, and means for reciprocating one of said'brackets to move said wheel back and forth across the sprocket periphery.

4. In combination, a carrier having a xed sprocket receiving spindle, a grinding wheel support movable toward the periphery of a sprocket f mounted upon said spindle, a rotary grinding wheel journalled upon said support, front and rear lever brackets having their swinging ends pivotally attached to said support, a pneumati cally operated servo-motor for simultaneously swinging said brackets in the same direction to urge said grinding wheel against the sprocket periphery, means for reciprocating one of said brackets to move said wheel back and forthy across the sprocket periphery, and means interposed between said carrier and said support for producing rectilinear reciprocation of said grinding wheel during the iinal grinding operation.

5. In combination, a xed sprocket receiving spindle, a support movable toward Vthe Vperiphery of a sprocketmounted upon said spindle,` a rotary grinding wheel journalled on said support, front and .rear levers from the swinging` ends of which said` support is suspended, means -ior swinging said levers to movesaid supportand said wheel toward the sprocket periphery; and means for additionally' mOVing Said SLIDDDI$-D reciprocate said wheel.

6. In combination, a fixed sprocket receiving spindle, a support movable toward therpcriphery of a sprocket mounted upon `Said spindle. a. retary grinding wheel iournaiied on one endof said support, a driving motor for saldwheel mounted on the opposite end of said support, suspension means coacting with the medial D01- tion of said Support between said wheelgandisaid motor for permitting simultaneous movement` oi said support and wheel and motor toward the sprocket, means for enfectinf such simultaneous `movement of said elements,` and mea-ns ior additionally moving said wheel across the sprocket periphery. f

'7. In combination, a xed sprocket receiving spindle, a support movable toward Vthe periphery of a sprocket mounted upon said spindle, a ro.- tary grinding wheel'jotunalled on one endof said suppQrt, a driving motor for said wheel mounted on the opposite end of said support. suspension levers coacting with the medial prtion of said support, means for'swinging said levers to simultaneously move said support and wheel and motor toward the sprocket, and means for additionally moving said support to reciprocate said wheel. e -A 8. In combination, a fixed sprocket receiving spindle, a support movable toward theperiphery of a sprocket mounted upon said spindle, a rotary grinding wheel journalled on said nsupport, approximately parallel levers having their swinging ends pivotally associated with said support, means for swinging said leversgvto move said support and said. wheel toward th sprocket pe,- riphery, and means for longitudinally moving one of said levers to additionally reciprocate said wheel across the sprocket periphery. e Y l 9. In combination, a carrier having a sprocket receiving spindle, a support movable towardl the periphery of a sprocket mounted upon said spindie, a rotary grinding wheel journalled on said support, approximately parallel levers having their swinging ends pivotally associated with said support, means for swinging said levers to move said support and said wheel toward the sprocket periphery, and means interposed between said carrier and said support for producing rectilinear reoiprocation of said grinding wheel across the sprocket periphery.

, 10. In combination, a carrier having a sprocket receiving spindle, a support movable toward the periphery of a sprocket mounted upon said spindle, a rotary grinding wheel journalled on said support, approximately parallel levers having their swinging ends pivotally associated with said support, means for swinging said levers to move said support and said wheel toward the sprocket periphery, means for reciprocating one of said levers to move said wheel back and forth across the sprocket periphery, and means interposed between said carrier and said support for producing rectilinearreciprocation of the grinding wheel during the nnai grinding operation.

1l; In comibnation, a fixed sprocket receiving spindle, a support movable toward the periphery of a sprocketmounted upon said spindle, a rotary grinding wheel journalled on said support, spaced levers having their swinging ends pivotally associated with said support, means for simultaneously swinging Said levers'to move said support and said wheel toward the sprocket periphery, means for longitudinally moving one of said levers to additionally reciprocate said wheel across the sprocket periphery, and means interposed between said spindle and said support for producing rectilinear reciprocation of the wheel during the final grinding operation,

l2. In combination, a fixed sprocket receiving spindle, a support movable toward the periphery of a sprocket mounted upon said spindle, a rotary grinding wheel journalled upon said support, a driving motor for said wheel also mounted upon said support, front and rear levers having their upper swinging ends pivotally attached to said support, a servo-motorior simultaneously swinging said levers in the same direction to urge said grinding Wheel against the sprocket periphery, means for additionally moving one of said levers to reciprocate said Wheel across the sprocket periphery, and means interposed between said spindle and said support fon maintaining'said reciprocation of the wheel rectilinear during the final grinding operation.

ERNEST HUFF. 

